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Rutgers' Brandon Coleman ready to assume role as go-to wide receiver

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Rutgers wide receiver Brandon Coleman (17), shown in action against Virginia Tech in the Russell Athletic Bowl, says he is ready to take over as the feature receiver in the passing game this season.
(William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

After waiting three years to be the featured receiver in Rutgers’ offense,
Brandon Coleman figures he can wait just a little longer.

So there’s no frustration, he says, with being limited in what he can do physically this summer after missing spring practice following knee surgery. His target date for a full recovery remains the start of pre-season camp.

“I’m participating in pretty much all of the things that take place in the weight room, agility, things like that,” Coleman said today. “I’m just not running full speed conditioning with the team.”

When Coleman is given full clearance, the 6-6, 225-pound fourth-year junior knows he will be under scrutiny as never before in his college career. Two years ago, Mohammed Sanu did the heavy lifting at wide receiver. Last year, Mark Harrison led the team in receptions.

This fall, Coleman – five TD catches shy of breaking the school career record of 20 – transitions into that role. It’s one he seems prepared for after catching 43 passes for 718 yards and 10 TDs a year ago.

“The expectations have risen for myself,” he said. “There’s no pressure. It’s something I expected. That’s one of the reasons why I came here. So I’m prepared for this mentally. That’s all I’m doing this summer is mentally preparing myself for what the season will bring. Physically, I’m doing what I can.”

While Coleman steps into the role of the go-to guy in the passing game, he does so with the same looming question that Kenny Britt and Sanu had before him. He has a year of eligibility remaining next season, but could emerge as a high draft pick after this one.

He claims not to have even thought about that possibility yet because it will interfere with his focus.

Instead, he is concentrating on the areas of his game that need improving.

Always known for his big-play ability – he averaged 32.5-yards per catch in 2011 – Coleman acknowledged that he needs to prove he can make tough catches as well.

“I don’t know if my reputation is for making a lot of catches in tough situations,” he said. “Looking back at previous years that’s something I also need to work on – making that tough catch, across the middle, or covered by two or three people or whatever it may be. That’s something I’ve got to work on.”

To that end, the Maryland native says he has identified “mental preparation and mental toughness” as areas he needs to develop more.

“Just to grind through, to push yourself that much further, that extra yard that you can fight for,” he said. “And it’s all I your head. That fourth quarter, that overtime, that time when it gets tough when the rain starts coming down and everything is against you and you push through and it’s all in your head.”

Then, of course, there are the statistical goals. He said the career touchdown record “would mean a lot if we get the wins that come with it.”

He would also like to add his list to a select group in school history that counts Britt, Sanu, Tim Brown, Tiquan Underwood and Tres Moses as its only members: The 1,000-yard receiving club.

“My goal is to break 1,000,” said Coleman. “But I can’t force anything. I’ve got to let the game come naturally. I have no worries about that.”